Diary Dates

Student Equalities Group

The Woodside High School Student Equalities Group is made up of a group of like-minded young people who are passionate about challenging prejudice and discrimination, fighting for equality and celebrating diversity.

The group is entirely student-led and has already had a significant impact across the school and within our local community. The Equalities Group have ensured that there is a real focus on celebrating diversity and have been passionate about organising activities to celebrate how diverse our school is. Throughout the school year we celebrate events such as Black History Month, Disability History Month, LGBT History Month, Holocaust Memorial Day, International Women’s Day, Mental Health Awareness Week and Refugee Week. In November we organise a whole range of activities to raise awareness during National Anti-Bullying Week to ensure that everyone understands the importance of treating people equally.

During LGBT History Month in February, the Equalities Group worked with Stonewall and Diversity Role Models to educate the rest of the school about the importance of standing up to homophobia and transphobia. Stonewall even chose Woodside High School to make a film to share with other schools across the UK. The film featured the Equalities Group alongside LGBT role models such as Sir Ian McKellen and was launched at the Stonewall Equalities Dinner.

Our Equalities Group met with the Government Minister for Equalities, Caroline Dinenage MP to talk about the importance of their work to challenge homophobia and transphobia. Ms Dinenage was extremely impressed by everything that they have achieved so far.

Our Equalities Group have even designed and led whole staff training on the Woodside Shared Values and the importance of challenging prejudice and discrimination. The hour long training session was entirely student led and asked staff to consider the importance of speaking out against discrimination. The feedback from staff following the session was amazing:

“Well prepared and thought-provoking session. It was inspirational.”

“The students delivering the training were excellent. They were very professional. It was impressive to see all the initiatives that have been delivered. It made me very proud to work at Woodside.”

“It was the best training session I have ever attended. It was the first time we really heard our young people, rather than talked about them and their feelings without them even being in the room.”

“Very well run, really informative and gave me lots of food for thought for my own future actions.”

It is no surprise that our Equalities Group have already been recognised for their fantastic work. They came runners-up in the Speaker’s School Council Award for their work to create the Woodside Shared Values. They currently hold the Bronze, Silver and Gold Stonewall School Champions Awards. We are the only school in London to have achieved all three prestigious awards.